The Spirit of Haiti Clairin Sonson
Clairin Sonson is a traditional Haitian cane spirit produced by Stephan Kalil Saoud in Cabaret, Haiti, northwest of Port-au-Prince. Saoud grows the local Madame Meuze sugarcane on 25 hectares alongside banana and other fruit trees, without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The freshly harvested cane is pressed and slowly reduced into cane syrup, then spontaneously fermented using wild ambient yeasts from the fields and distillery.
The fermented syrup is distilled in small pot stills originally crafted by Saoud’s father, who founded the distillery in 1932. Sonson is bottled at still strength with no dilution or additives, giving it a wonderfully rustic, terroir-driven character. Expect pronounced lemongrass, basil and freshly cut grass, followed by tropical fruit, fresh cane, ginger, sweet pepper and licorice.
53.2% ABV • 106.4 Proof
Country: Haiti
Producer: Stephan Kalil Saoud
Village: Cabaret
Cane: Madame Meuze
Raw Material: Sugarcane syrup
Fermentation: Wild/native yeast
Distillation: Pot still
Bottling: Still strength, no dilution or additives
